Imran ‘relieved’ of Mancha spokesman post

The factional feud within the Ganajagaran Mancha has taken an ugly turn after a group opposed to Imran H Sarker 'relieved' him of his duties as spokesperson for the secular platform.

File Photo File Photo

Fresh Mancha programmes unveiled

This group organised a press briefing on Saturday in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh.

This is the place where the Mancha came into existence in February last year to lead an uncompromising movement for pushing the war crimes trials and punishing those found guilty of them.

The anti-Imran group said a five-member panel would start functioning as the 'voice of the movement' in his place.

Their names would soon be announced, they said.

Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, leader of the Muktijoddha Chhatra Command, read out a written statement at Saturday’s press meet held by ‘Activists and Organisers of Ganajagaran Mancha’.

Half the organisers present there were close to the ruling Awami League, like Central Sub-Committee Assistant Secretary Shiuly Binte Mohsin, Soheli Parvin Moni, Hamida Begum, sub-committee members SM Enamul Haque Abir and Chittagong Metropolitan Unit Assistant Secretary Rashida Haque Konika.

Also, leaders of several other youth groups including Gourab-71 President Azad Abul Kalam, General Secretary FM Shahin and Oporajeyo Bangla President H Rahman Nilu were present at the press conference.

The briefing took place after the recent clash between supporters of Imran Sarker and those of the Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command, which seeks to represent the children of the 1971 freedom fighters.

Both groups blamed each other for provoking the clashes.

Sarker had alleged the loyalists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Awami Juba League had carried out the attack - a charge rejected stridently by the BCL and Juba League.

“Dr Imran H Sarker has been relieved of his duties as the Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson,” Kamal Pasha Chowdhury said on Saturday.

He insisted that Sarker's statements should no longer be treated as those of the Mancha.

Sarker told bdnews24.com that the government was trying to silence him and the Ganajagaran movement.

File Photo

As convenor of the Blogger and Online Activist Network, Sarker has been the spokesperson for the youth-led movement from its inception on February 5 last year after Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla was given life imprisonment for his 1971 war crimes.

Kamal Pasha Choudhury said Sarker has been 'relieved' in much the same way he was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the movement.

Another organiser AS Kamruzzaman said Sarker was not running the organisation democratically.

"We needed one person as spokesperson but he needed to take everyone on board before decisions were made. But Imran was not doing that and so had to be removed."

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of different organisations and student platforms seen beside Imran Sarker during the Mancha's agitation so far were not present at the press briefing on Saturday.

“We were here from the beginning, but later we decided to let one person be the voice,” said Kamal Pasha Chowdhury.